Combined shipping and merchandise dispensing container



Sept. 19, 1933. N HElL 1,927,343

COMBINED SHIPPING AND MERCHANDISE DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed May 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet .l

Sept. 19, 1933. N E, m 1.921343 COMBINED SHIPPING AND MERCHANDISE DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed May 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45' H'II I iii I Patented Sept. 19, 1933 I UNITED, STATES,

COLIBINED SHIPPING AND MERCHANDISE DISPENSING CONTAINER Norman E. Heil, Paterson, N. Jr Application May 10, 1930. Serial No. 451,408

3 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to containers, and more particularly to a container admirably designed to facilitate packing of brake band lining for shipment, as well as to provide a container which can be conveniently handled by the retailer in disposing of said merchandise.

In carrying out the invention I comprehend the provision of a container from which the merchandise is dispensed from time to time in various and desired lengths, and in a manner so that only the portion to be sold is removed from the container, the remaining merchandise being completely housed by the container, and thus maintained in a clean and salable condition.

The invention aims to provide means whereby merchandise of the above mentioned character can be quickly and conveniently packed by the manufacturer for shipment, and eliminate the necessity of the retailer or recipient of said package from opening the same in order to dispense said merchandise, thereby leaving the latter in its initial position within the container, and protected thereby from dust, dirt or'other foreign matter.

More specifically stated the invention provides a container for merchandise of the class inquestion, wherein the opposed side walls are formed with aligned central openings of suflicient diameter to permit the merchandise to be quickly dispensed in different and desired lengths from either side of the container, as well as to permit the insertion of the hand through saidopenings, so that the containerv can be conveniently held or handled as the occasionmay require.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a container wherein the merchandise can be quickly and conveniently packed for shipment, the container preferably being made up of companion'sections capable of being easily and quickly associated and subsequently sealed. I

A further and importantobject of the invention resides in the provision of a novel means for both sealing the container and bracing or reinforcing the sides thereof. 7

Other objects and advantages will appear when the following detail description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed;

In the drawings forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the severalviews and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing how the merchandise is dispensed through the central opening thereof;

Figure ti is a transverse sectional view through the container showing the arrangement of the merchandise therein.

Figure ,4 is a perspective view of one section of the container.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the other section of the container.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank from which each section is formed.

Before entering into a detail description of what is herein illustrated in the drawings, I desire to have it understood that the container forming the subject matter of the present invention may vary in size and design without departing from the inventive idea, and may also be made in one or more sections, providing it is characterized by the centrally arranged openings for the purpose hereinabove specified.

However, in the specific embodiment of the invention disclosed, the container is preferably of circular contour, and is primarily intended to receive a roll of brake lining or the like, which is arranged within the container as clearly illustrated in Figure 3, and dispensed therefrom in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. In the embodiment of the invention disclosed, the container preferably, comprises two companion sections of the character shown in Figures 4 and 5, and each of these sections is formed from a single blank of material in the nature of a disk indicated at 10 and formed with an enlarged central opening 11. The blank is provided with a circumferential series of radially disposed slits 12 which define bendable portionslB, and all of these portions are adapted to be bent inwardly at a right angle to the body of the section along the fold line indicated at 14. When the bendable portions 13 are all arranged in the manner shown in Figures 4 and 5, a strip of suitable material 15 is adhesively secured to the innerfaces of. the bendable portions holding them arranged relatively in the manner shown in Figures '4 and 5. As above stated the container preferably comprises two sections indicated at A and B respectively, and each section is formed in the manner just described. One section however is slightly smaller in diameter, so that when the sections are associated, they overlap, thus providing foran adjustment which permits the container to accommodate itself to lining of different widths. By reason of the construction thus far described, it

is manifest that the container can be very cheaply manufactured, and the parts quicldy and easily assembled, with a view of packing the merchandise for shipment witha minimum of effort and expense. It is only necessary to arrange a roll of merchandise, such as brake lining or the like within the bottom section A, and then place .the

top section B in position to cover said merchandise. A

While the container'may be constructed from any suitable material, it is preferably formed from cardboard, and the invention contemplates to the same.

a novel construction of means for sealing the container, and at the same time effectively brace the opposed side walls, so that the container can be quickly and conveniently handled in a manner to be hereinafter described, with little possibility of tearing or otherwise injuring the container. This is an important feature of the invention, inasmuch as after the merchandise has been placed within the container, and the latter sealed,'the merchandise is dispensed in different and desired lengths through the aligned openings 11, and in this manner the sections of the container are never separated, but held associated in their given positions for the purpose of protecting the merchandise, and thus maintaining it in a clean and salable condition. Figure 2 clearly illustrates how the merchandise is removed from the container'in different and desired lengths, and it is of course manifest that the merchandise can be so dispensed from either side of the container, a fact which renders the latter particularly easy and convenient to handle for this purpose.

The means for sealing the container and bracing the opposed walls thereof, preferably consists of a number of flexible strips 16 which may be of any suitable material, and these strips are passed through the openings 11 of the container and'then extended radially along the opposed side walls as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 to3 inclusive. The strips 16 engage the edges of the openings 11, and extend from these edges to the periphery of the container, the free ends of each strip being secured to the outer periphery of the container and to each other in overlapped relation as illustrated in Figure 3. Each strip is adhesively secured to the opposed side walls of the container and inasmuch as they straddle and embrace said walls, they tend to hold the latter in parallel relation, and materially reinforce the container in its entirety. After the free ends 1'? of the strips have been adhesively secured to the periphery of the container and to each other, a strip of suitable material 18 is then adhesively secured to the periphery of the container about the ends 17 of the strips 16, and as illustrated the strip 18 is of the same width as that of the finished product or container. In this connection it is desired to be stated that any number of strips 16 may be employed for the purpose described, although in actual use it has been found that four of said strips arranged diametrically opposite each other efiectively serve the purpose. When the container is received by a retailer, or other recipient, the merchandise is allowed to remain completely covered, and thus kept in a very clean and salable condition, and in order to dispens'e said merchandise it is only necessary to break one or more of the intermediate portions 19 of the strips 16, to permit the merchandise to be dispensed in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. The advantage of the strips 16 is to strengthen and reinforce the container for shipment, and allows a large number of containers to be quickly and conveniently handled without doing injury The openings 11 are initially provided to'permit the merchandise tobe dispensed therefrom, but also are made of a suflicient diameter to define a hand receiving passage, so that the hand can be passed through the package and carried by gripping the peripheral edges of the openings 11. While each container is of considerable size, as merchandise of the class in .question is usually shipped in standard lengths,

the hand receiving passage defined by the aligned openings 11, makes it possible to very conveniently handle a large number of containers for shipment, as. well as an individual container when dispensing merchandise therefrom.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to .have it understood, that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired asfall within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for merchandise of the character described comprising two disk-like companion sections, an annular series of bendable portions carried by the periphery of each section and adapted to be bent at right angles thereto and unitedly define an annular flange,

a. strip of adhesive material secured to the inner surfaces of all of said bendable portions and holding the same fixed relatively in a rigid flange forming position, said flanges of the respective sections being arranged in overlapping relation, said sections having centrally located aligned openings through either of which the merchandise is dispensed, and means for holding said sections permanently secured together.

2. A container for merchandise of the character described comprising two disk-like companion sections, anannular series of bendable portions carried by the periphery of each section and adapted to be bent at right angles thereto and unitedly define a flange, a strip of adhesive material secured to inner surfaces of all of said bendable portions and holding the latter fixed relatively in a rigid flange forming position, said sections being associated with their flanges in overlapping relation, said sections having enlarged centrally located aligned openings through either of which the merchandise is dispensed, strips passedthrough said openings and secured to the outer sides of the respective sections in parallel relation to brace said sections, and the free ends of each strip being adhesively secured in overlapping relation to the periphery of the container to hold said sections permanently secured together.

3. A container for merchandise of the character described comprising two disk-like companion sections, an annular series of bendable portions carried by the periphery of each section and adapted to be bent at right angles thereto and unitedly define a flange, a strip of adhesive material secured to the inner surfaces of all of said bendable portions and holding the latter fixed relatively in a rigid flange forming position, said sections being associated with their flanges in overlapping relation, said sections having enlarged centrally located aligned openings through either of which the merchandise is dispensed, spaced strips for bracing the walls of said container, each strip being passed through the openings of said sections and having parallel portions secured to the walls of, said sections,

and their free ends adhesively secured to the periphery of the container and to each other in overlapping relation, and a-strip of material adhesively secured to the periphery of the containerand covering the ends of the. first men- 

